Some short videos on my background.
I served as the USAID Representatvie on Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team at FOB Kalsu in 2008. We were south of Baghdad in what had been a very dangerous area in 2006 - 2007. We lost 17 soldiers in our brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, 4th Brigade Combat Team, "Rock of the Marne." This video was a trip down to our provincial headquarters at Hillah, Babel Province (the site of the capital of ancient Babylon). I went on to do a second year, serving in 2009 as Senior Agriculture Advisor in USAID Iraq in Baghdad.
In 2009, as the USAID Senior Agriculture Advisor, I was able to get out tot the field. This is a video of a field trip to Baquba -- a former hotbed of Al Qaida in Iraq activity (it was their actual seat of goverment at one point). We hadc a great PRT there working under dangerous conditions. The vehicle behind me is a MRAP (Mine Resistant All-terrain Vehicle) that former Secretary of Defense Bob Gates was able to get out to us in the field in 2008 and especially 2009. They were rough riding but much safer against IED attack.
Night flight over Baghdad in 2009. I served at FOB Kalsu during 2008 as the USAID representative with ePRT (Embedded Provincial Reconstruction Team) at FOB Kalsu. In 2009, I moved up to Baghdad to serve as Senior Agriculture Advisor with USAID Iraq.
This is a video of an ultra flight off Peru's Pacific coast south of Lima in 2002 with USAID colleagues -- John Coultier and Dick Martin. Unique experience,